PhD in Science Studies

Students doing a PhD in Science Studies join an international and interdisciplinary research community with students working on PhDs in Sociology, Gender Studies, Science Studies, Media and Cultural Studies and Applied Social Science. We offer supervision for PhDs in a number of areas including cultural imaginaries and material practices of science and technology, policy analysis, environment, health and medicine, and information and communications technologies.

You will be assigned PhD supervisors (usually two), and consideration will be taken to match you with supervisor(s) whose current active research interests and expertise are relevent to your chosen topic. Close working relations are enjoyed with other departments at Lancaster, and in some cases there is cross-departmental supervision.

A programme of skills and dissertation workshops designed specifically for postgraduate students within the Sociology Department runs throughout the year.

In addition, you are encouraged to attend any relevant MA taught modules, but are not required to take any for credit as part of your degree.

See the Department of Sociology course website for more information, including on Entry Requirements

Masters (MA) in Social Research (Science, Technology, Innovation and Social Practices pathway)

The MA in Social Research provides a rigorous introduction to key issues in social science methodology, expands your proficiency in a range of research skills, and prepares you for further advanced research in the social sciences.

The MA represents an ideal stepping stone to a PhD and open access to ESRC and AHRC funding programmes. You will carry out hands-on training in selected research methods and skills, and will become skilled in the translation of theoretically informed research questions into research projects. As part of the MA, you will complete an extensive independent piece of research.

If you are interested in going on to do a PhD in Science Studies, this would be the ideal MA for you. For further informaiton on fees and funding and the application go to the Department of Sociology’s MA Social Research page and follow the links.

Visiting PhD students and Researchers

We also warmly welcome PhD students and researchers wishing to visit the Centre. You can spend anything from one month to one year or more with us. We encourage you to discuss this possibility informally with a staff member, as administrative details frequently change.

For PhD students, fees will apply pro-rata. See further details.

Visiting researchers may have to fund the cost of a ‘bench fee’.

To find out more, contact csslancaster@lancaster.ac.uk